When a tooth is chipped, cracked or broken, either by sporting injury or some other kind of head trauma, it can be very painful. But the pain may last longer than just the original injury and may require extensive dental treatment to prevent further damage to the tooth. The dentist will first try to fix the tooth using composite dental bonding. If the damage is too severe to fix with resin the tooth may need a crown to protect it and restore its structural integrity.
A crown is a porcelain replica of the tooth that is placed over the original to protect it from further damage while giving the appearance of a real tooth. They are not only used to repair broken teeth but can be used to preserve the functionality of a tooth after a filling or root canal treatment.
Crowns can be made form various materials (some more ostentatious patients may opt for a gold or silver crown) but the material of choice for dentists and the one that gives it the most realistic appearance is porcelain. With the advancement of technology in the last twenty years, the manufacturing of porcelain crowns has become significantly easier. Dentists are now able to use the latest in 3D imaging and digital x-rays to construct a three dimensional image of the patient’s teeth on the computer. Using this image they can design an incredibly accurate porcelain crown. It is then possible to use computer-aided technology to manufacture a crown from a single piece of porcelain in as little as six minutes. This represents an incredible leap from the old technology where a crown needed to be hand sculpted in laboratory conditions, which could take weeks.
Crowns are now also designed to be far more realistic, even possessing the translucent quality of enamel. Some preparation is needed before a crown can be fitted which usually involves removing some of the enamel of the tooth so that the crown can fit over it without appearing too big. If you have a broken tooth or an existing crown that needs replacing, visit a Leeds dentist and ask about the latest realistic and durable porcelain crowns.
Tags: chipped tooth, dental bonding, head trauma, porcelain crowns
